Optoelectronic sensitization of carbon nanotubes by CdTe nanocrystals

We investigate the photoconductance of single-walled carbon nanotube-nanocrystal hybrids. The nanocrystals are bound to the nanotubes via molecular recognition. We find that the photoconductance of the hybrids can be adjusted by the absorption characteristics of the nanocrystals. In addition, the photoconductance of the hybrids surprisingly exhibits a slow time constant of about 1 ms after excitation of the nanocrystals. The data are consistent with a bolometrically induced current increase in the nanotubes caused by photon absorption in the nanocrystals.